City turns over new school bldg

CEBU, Philippines - To cater to the increasing number of students in Pardo Elementary School, the Cebu City government has turned over yesterday the four-story building classroom reportedly designed to withstand calamities.

Pardo Elementary School Principal Ronald Lerin expressed their gratitude to the city government and the city’s local school board which funded the construction of the new building, which has eight classrooms. 

Lerin said that they currently have 5,365 students with 126 teachers and 105 classrooms.

He said that grades one, two and three had to have emergency classes to accommodate all the students.

“Ang learning man gud, dili kaayo mahatag ang full (education) a day kay pinaspasay raba gyod ang emergency classes,” he said.

Lerin said that with the new classrooms, only grade two students will undergo emergency classes starting next week.

“Lipay pod mi kay duna napod mi emergency exits ani nga building,” he said, expressing their gratitude as well to the contractor of the project.

JTL Construction Engineer Marilou Lim said that while the budget allocated for the building was not enough for a disaster-resilient design, they accepted the project saying that it’s their offer to the children.

“Dako gyod mi’g napuno ani kay kuwang ang budget, pero amo gihapong gipanindot ilang building para sa mga bata,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lerin said that while a new building was provided, with the full implementation of the K to 12 scheme, they would still need to have more classrooms.

Lerin said they are hoping that the school board would grant their request to add four classrooms.

He said that they are also asking that a stairway be installed in a building funded by the Department of Education which was inaugurated last June 2, 2014.

“Wala man gud na nabutangan og emergency exit, among ka-problemaan kon naay emergency, usa ra ang hagdanan para sa 16 ka classrooms,” he said.

 Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who headed the turnover yesterday, said that there is no need to pinpoint the one at fault in the construction of the building without an emergency exit.

Labella said that he will ask the school board to assess the funding and address the concern of the school. — (FREEMAN)